MN Speaker Thissen Not Speaking For All Minnesotans – Let’s Vote Him Out in 2014

Alright, so Speaker of Minnesota House of Representatives – Rep Paul Thissen is a lot of things, but stupid is not one of them. Thissen who represents Minneapolis district 61-B has smartly figured out how to feed us empty words and promises while he never actually addresses our issues.

For example, back in 2010 at the heels of Minnesota department of health’s Somali autism study which stated Somali born preschool kids in Minneapolis school district having an administrative rate of autism up to seven times higher than the general population – Thissen still voted for HF 359 which wanted to leave therapy and support for low income & minority autism families. From what I can remember, Thissen was mad at me during the 2010 conference committee negotiations because we were able to convince then Sen Berglin to take HF 359 out of the health and human services omnibus bill since it was unfair and unequal. Thissen was in that conference committee, then he got more mad when we got media attention to their inequality because a bias MN DFLer always wants to keep their disparity policies under the table.

Thissen always comes to African American functions at the state capitol preaching how he is for diversity and reducing racial disparities, but if you look at his voting record that is simply empty words. Thissen is very good at making worthless promises and we unfortunately drink his words like it is holy water.

I remember him coming to Council of Black Minnesotans day at the state capitol and preaching the minimum wage speech. Of course, I had my little usual poster protesting in front of him for his failed autism policies which pissed him off and anytime I can piss off some arrogant politician is a good day for me. Now, in terms of raising the minimum wage – the words sound good because everyone should make a living wage but the problem is, it does not address Minnesota’s persistent economic and employment racial gap. In other words, a rising tide does not lift all boats. A minority person must first be inside the boat for the tide to lift them. And, based on research after research and stats after stats – Minnesota while non-minorities are doing well – its minority citizens not so much.

Therefore, Thissen needed to pass specific legislations to address this, but he just gives us useless speeches and calls it a day. For example, this year the state legislature passed a really good uplifting women’s bill HF-2536/SF-2050. If you look at what his legislation will do for Minnesota women is fantastic. It will level the economic playing field and encourage women to enter high paying employment fields, assure equal pay for equal work, etc. As a woman and as a mom – I supported this bill.

By the same token, there was nothing similar uplifting minority legislation especially African Americans in Minnesota who seem to have the worst statistic in every category from health to education to employment to home-ownership. Imagine if Thissen actually practiced his words and pushed similar legislation of Minority economic & employment act where minorities would have similar resources to learn, improve and prosper in their lives. Imagine that and because it did not happen and will never happen because we in the Black community never bargain with our votes. We vote for people like Thissen then wonder why our communities are not doing well. I think it is because people like Thissen take our votes for granted. They know that irrespective of their policies – they will always have the Black vote. On the other hand, women bargain with their votes by saying in the words of Janet Jackson’s song – what have you done for me lately?

To make matters worse, extremely bias reporters like Mpls Tribune’s Rachel S only tell us how good politicians like Thissen or Bakk for that matter are and we believe it with no policy to back it up. Remember When Stassen wrote this story and started with “Leaning his lanky frame over his office table, the tip of his tongue resting lightly on his upper lip”. I am sorry, but if I want to know where a man’s tongue is resting – I rather read fifty shades of grey. I mean seriously – was this suppose to be a romance novel or a political story. Who gives a rat’s you know what where Thissen’s tongue rests – really. Not the average Minnesotan.

Now, as you know media shapes messages and once you shaped policy messages then you have influenced policies and voter’s minds. Don’t lose hope though because Minneapolis Star Tribune has just been bought by Glen Taylor – a Republican. Yay! This means political stories will no longer be romance stories, rather they will be based on facts and political policies. On a somewhat related story, I remember when Abdi Warsame was a candidate and as you know by now I think Warsame’s story is compelling – to recently come to the U.S yet have so much inside clout in American politics. At any rate, I remember contacting the Tribune and MPR asking their editors to cover Warsame’s story in a depth manner. I remember the MPR President told me their usual script of we have good reporters and they do a good job, blah blah. I think I gave him an example of a reporter being born and raised in Alaska writing about the weather in Miami. Unless you walked on Miami beaches, sat on the sand and felt Miami’s Ocean breeze – you can’t really do justice in your story. Therefore, MPR and Mpls Star Tribune need to hire reporters of color so that our stories can be told from our lenses which then will shape policies affecting our communities.